The Red Jacket Formation of Southeastern Saskatchewan L.K. Kreis Kreis, L.K. (1988): The Red Jacket Formation of southeastern Saskatchewan; in Summary of Investigations 1988, Saskatchewan Geological Survey; Saskatchewan Energy and Mines, Miscellaneous Report 88-4. This report describes a proposed redefinition of part of and upper member of the Gravelbourg Formation. The the Jurassic stratigraphy in southeastern Saskatchewan. Red Jacket Formation is named after a village near the The need for a redefinition has arisen because of difficul­ type section of the formation in the Tide Water North ties in attempting to extend stratigraphic picks of the Wapella Crown 14-22-15-1 (Lsd. 14-22-15-1W2M) well. Shaunavon Formation and upper member of the Gravel· bourg Formation from their type area in southwestern Included in this report is a description and discussion of Saskatchewan into southeastern Saskatchewan. the type section, as welt as the boundaries, distribution, lithology, age and correlation of the Red Jacket Forma­ In an attempt to redress these difficulties and in conform­ tion. A west to east cross-section showing correlation of ity with the North American Stratigraphic Code Jurassic strata between southwestern and southeastern (American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 1983, Saskatchewan is included in the accompanying map Article 23, Remark b), the author proposes the estab­ package. A description of core from the type section is lishment of a new stratigraphic unit in the southeast, the given in the Apppendix. This work is part of a broader Red Jacket Formation, which is separated by an ar­ study by the author of the oil-bearing Jurassic sand­ bitrary lithofacies cut-off from the Shaunavon Formation stones occurring at various levels in the Wapella - Moosomin area (Figure 2 and cross-sec­ T W NOR lH WAPELLA CR 14 22 15 1 tion in map package). KB: 5 9 5 .6m 1. Stratigraphy SP RES a) Type Section PERIOD The type section selected for the Red c R Jacket Formation is fully cored in the E T Tide Water North Wapella Crown well MANNVILLE G ROUP A 14-22-15-1 (Lsd. 14-22-15-1 W2M) c be­ E tween 2183.0 and 2452.0 ft. (665.4 and 0 u 747.4 m) below the Kelly Bushing s (K.B.). This well exhibits the typical lithologies and geophysical well log RIERDON FM. responses common to the Red Jacket Formation and is the only well possess­ BURROWS MEIR ing a continuous core through all of the formation, as well as contiguous strata. The well is illustrated as number 14 in RED JACKET MOOSOMIN IVIB R the cross-section (in map package). J FORMAT ION u The cored interval in this well is il- R Iustrated in Figure 1. A s s ROCANVllL E MBA I Generally, recoveries of the 1.5 inch c diameter wireline core of the Red Jack­ L. GRAVELBOURG MBA et Formation in the Tide Water North Wapella Crown well is fair (approx. 60 to 80 percent) to good (approx. 80 to UPPER WATROUS MBR. 100 percent). However, a few intervals less than 10 ft. (3.0 m) in thickness demonstrate poorer recoveries. Unfor· tunately, the core is largely broken up M I due to repeated handling. Thus many SO URIS VALLEY FM s s. contacts are not well preserved or are completely absent, especially in inter· laminated and mudstone sections of Figure 1 - Type section for the Red Jacket Fonnation in the TW North Wapella the core. Crown 14-22-15-1 well, illustrating proposed stratigraphic subdivision and conKI interval . Saskatchewan Geological Survey 211 The Red Jacket Formation has been divided into three The middle member is named the Moosomin Member members (Figure 1), all of them named after villages after the town in Twp. 14, Rge. 31W1. The Moosomin near their type section in the TW North Wapella Cr 14-22- Member is found in the type section for the Red Jacket 15-1 well. Formation between 2215.3 and 2360.0 ft. (675.2 and 719.3 m). The lower member is herein named the Rocanville Mem­ ber after the village in Twp. 16, Rge. 31W1. The Rocan­ The upper member is named the Burrows Member after ville Member occurs in the type section for the Red Jack­ the village in Twp. 15, Rge. 1W2. It occurs in the type et Formation between 2360.0 and 2410.0 ft.(719.3 and section for the Red Jacket Formation between 2183.0 734.6 m). and 2215.3 ft. (665.4 and 675.2 m). Fl'G. 2 SG I RG ..n 1. ~ . : : : · I . I ~ --- --- - - ·- .... ---~- J . .· . .• . .I I ROCANVILLE .. ; FIELD ~-~-· j·+··~-:-:--__...,__.. _~---'4------· .r~. ·i ..; . ' . , '!_, __ _ . · "NORTH WAPE ~ "''.,. : . LA ·:SJ ~ __.____ ! ·[ .---~?? .. 1-.-W~A.,....P_E_L_L:,:A~ ~--I_...E_!-_DT ;0 M00$0 IN AREA I 't---'r--\-----,--,--.~.. ---1-----,1-· ...., --;._. ~- f~, -~-.,.c:, ,~.' '"",.;--l • ' . ! I .' , 4:_i_:~:_:_:_:f >· 1 I ! ~ j . i~ . , ( :--~ , i RED. JACKq, FIELD I • T ···;---· - • :-J:·:~. r :-1 ,,: .,. • ! I , 1 Figure 2 - Location map of the study area referred to in the text as the Wapella - Moosomin area. 212 Summary of Investigations 1988 Discordances and apparent changes in lithofacies in bourg" in southwestern Saskatchewan. He interpreted some portions of the Red Jacket Formation complicate this horizon as an unconformity and used this interpreta­ the correlation and recognition of these members. Dis­ tion to account for the variation in thickness of underly­ tinctive lithologic characteristics of these members are ing strata. A similar horizon was also identified in south­ best observed in core from the Wapella-Moosomin eastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba area of southeastern Saskatchewan (Figure 2). (Stott, 1955). Francis (1956), Klingspor (1958) and Kreis (1987) later adopted this "minor unconformity" or discon­ Further subdivision of each of these members into a formity, which occurs at the top of a weathered dolomite lower Unit A and an upper Unit B is at present restricted with abundant bluish chalcedonic chert, as the pick for to the Wapella - Moosomin area, where there is suffi­ the top of the Lower Gravelbourg in southeastern Sask­ cient well and core control. Subdivision using only log atchewan. It is noted that, in addition to bluish chalcec:1- responses is hampered by 1) the similarity of lithologies onic chert and weathered dolomite at this horizon, there between overlying and underlying units, 2) abrupt litho­ are commonly euhedral bipyramidal quartz crystals. facies changes, and 3) lateral variability in thickness as the result of numerous discordances which have locally The presence of chert and bipyramidal quartz has been thinned or completely removed individual units. interpreted as evidence for "vanished evaporites" (i.e., unpreserved evaporites) by Friedman (1980) in the Little Falls Dolostone (Late Cambrian) of Herkimer County, 2. Definition of the Lower and Upper New York. In this loca!ity, euhedral quartz crystals occur Boundaries in vugs in dolomite, sandstone and associated stromatolitic dolomites. This observation is noted in con­ a) Definition of the Base nection with chalcedonic chert and euhedral bipyramidal quartz crystals found at the apparent unconformity in The base of the Red Jacket Formation occurs in the southwestern and southeastern Saskatchewan. type section at 2410.0 ft . (734.6 m). Although this con­ tact is missing in core from the type section, it is found Detailed examination of drill cuttings and core makes it to be sharp in other cores in the Wapella - Moosomin apparent that the chalcedonic chert-bearing horizon in area. There appears to be a discontinuity between the southeastern Saskatchewan lies below a fossiliferous Lower Gravelbourg Member and the overlying Rocan­ olive-grey (5Y4/ 1) calcareous mudstone, which in turn is ville Member of the Red Jacket Formation. The pick on overlain by or interbedded with an oolitic, very light grey a geophysical log is readily made in the Wapella - (NB) to light olive-grey (SY6/1) limestone. This Moosomin area where porous sandstone of the Rocan­ mudstone and limestone unit is referred to in the cross­ ville Member of the Red Jacket Formation rests on the section (in map package) as Unit 81 of the lower limestone of the Lower Gravelbourg Member. This same Gravelbourg Member in southeastern Saskatchewan. contact however, is difficult to recognize in some wells The underlying dolomitic limestone unit with weathered to the south and west of this area due to a general lack dolomite, chalcedonic chert and sporadic euhedral of contrast in geophysical log responses with the under­ bipyramidal quartz at its top is referred to as Unit A1 of lying Lower Gravelbourg Member. the Lower Gravelbourg in southeastern Saskatchewan. A similar lack of contrast is also locally present between Extensive geophysical log correlations appear to show the Lower and Upper Gravelbourg Members west of the that the mudstone and limestone of Unit B 1 in south­ arbitrary lithofacies boundary shown on the cross-sec­ eastern Saskatchewan correlate with what was tentative­ tion location map (in map package). For example, in ly called "Lower Gravelbourg" in southwestern Sas­ wells 9 and 10 on the cross-section, slightly sandy lime­ katchewan by earlier stratigraphers (e.g., Milner and stones of the Lower Gravelbourg Member exhibit scarce­ Blakslee, 1958). It would then appear that, although ly different SP/ Res responses from the overlying silty, there is general agreement on the boundary between slightly calcite-cemented sandstones of the Upper the Upper and Lower Gravelbourg Members in south­ Gravelbourg Member. The distinction between the western Saskatchewan, the top of the lower Gravel­ Lower and Upper Gravelbourg Members originally bourg Member in southeastern Saskatchewan has been proposed by Klingspor (1958, p. 34) has, in fact, never picked at a lower horizon, namely at the well-defined un­ been formalized in southwestern Saskatchewan.